Data loss prevention is a primary goal and a requirement for a data processing system. Hence, large data center administrators must ensure their facilities adopt all economically-viable data loss prevention measures.
Recently, a variety of data loss prevention measures has emerged. Examples of data loss prevention measures include battery backup unit (BBU) methods, uninterruptable power supply (UPS) methods, carbon-based-fuel (e.g., diesel) generator methods, and electrical capacitor based methods. Each of these data loss prevention measures has advantages and disadvantages, however they commonly provide a data protection scheme to copy data stored in a volatile memory (e.g., DRAM) to a persistent store in a case of power loss for subsequent recovery. However, because of the intense cost competitiveness of today's business climate, search for a cost-effective way to achieve data loss prevention continues.
Non-volatile dual in-line memory modules (NVDIMMs) have evolved from the BBU DIMM that uses a backup battery to sustain power to volatile DIMM using an integrated power source. FIG. 1 shows a prior art system for providing data loss prevention. The system 100 includes a power supply 110 that provides a power to a central processing unit (CPU) 101, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) 102, a NVDIMM 103 including a power-fail-detection and protection logic 113, a power reserve 123, and a solid-state drive (SSD) 104 that includes its own power-fail-detection and protection logic 114. The power reserve 123 of the NVDIMM 103 may be a battery, a supercapacitor, or the like, and typically has a much smaller power capacity than the power supply 110.
When electrical power from the power supply 110 is removed either from an unexpected power loss or a system crash, or from a normal system shutdown, the data stored in the DRAM 102 may be lost, but the power-fail detection and protection logic 113 of the NVDIMM 103 can detect the power outage and retain data by supplying power from the power reserve 123 until the power is restored or the data is backed-up. The storage device 104 that includes its own power-fail detection and protection logic 114 can also detect the power outage without relying on the power-fail detection and protection logic 113 of the NVDIMM 103. The NVDIMM 103 can improve application performance, data security, system crash recovery time and enhance data endurance and reliability.
A data protection scheme involving battery-backed devices merely provide an extra power source to non-volatile memories before they are exhausted. Moreover, the battery-backed devices can be large and or heavy, and exceed allowable server volume or floor-loading weight limits, contain corrosive materials, and generate dangerous fumes as well as explosive hydrogen gas. These disadvantages can make them unreliable, difficult to use, and potentially harmful to facilities, personnel, and the environment.